Researcher: MF Page 1 4/2/25
OLR Bill Analysis
HB 7103
AN ACT CONCERNING THE KATIE BECKETT WORKING GROUP
RECOMMENDATIONS.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Social Services (DSS) to develop
a five-year plan to eliminate the waiting list for the Katie Beckett Waiver
Program and add home modification coverage as a service offered
through the program. The Katie Beckett program is a Medicaid waiver
that allows children with severe physical disabilities to be eligible for
Medicaid home- and community-based care. According to DSS, 331
people are currently on the waitlist.
The bill lowers the maximum age for Katie Beckett participants from
21 to 18. (At age 18, people in this group become eligible for coverage
under a different Medicaid program.)
The bill also establishes outreach and reporting requirements for the
Katie Beckett program, including a website, a brochure, and a
requirement that DSS provide information on the program, including
eligibility criteria, at least annually to Medicaid-enrolled providers
through the department’s provider bulletin.
Lastly, the bill requires the DSS commissioner to report by October 1,
2025, to the Appropriations and Human Services committees on
recommended state appropriations needed to implement the plan to
eliminate the waitlist and add home modification coverage as a program
service.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage, except the change to the
maximum participant age is effective July 1, 2025. 2025HB-07103-R000467-BA.DOCX
Researcher: MF Page 2 4/2/25
OUTREACH
Website and Portal
The bill requires the DSS commissioner to establish a Katie Beckett
Waiver Program website by September 1, 2025, that includes a portal
that allows a person to (1) login; (2) undergo an initial eligibility
screening process to determine whether the waiver program is the most
appropriate program to meet the person’s needs; and (3) receive
periodic updates on waitlist rank, estimated time to receive waiver
services, and whether the person remains eligible for the program.
The bill requires the website to also include the following
information:
1. eligibility criteria for the waiver program, including any income
or asset limits;
2. a summary of services available under the program;
3. contact information for family support groups and advocacy
groups for children and young adults with severe debilitating
diseases or conditions;
4. help available to determine private insurance coverage for
services for children and young adults with these conditions,
including a link to the Office of the Healthcare Advocate’s
website;
5. a list of other Medicaid waiver programs or Medicaid state plan
services for this population, including eligibility criteria for these
programs; and
6. a list of private organizations and state programs that may offer
funding for home modifications or adaptive equipment for
people with disabilities, including a link to the Department of
Aging and Disability Services’s website for information on
adaptive equipment purchases and assistive technology loans. 2025HB-07103-R000467-BA.DOCX
Researcher: MF Page 3 4/2/25
Brochure
The bill requires the DSS commissioner to create a brochure with
information on and eligibility criteria for the Katie Beckett Waiver
Program. Under the bill, she must distribute the brochure to medical
providers by September 1, 2025, including children’s hospitals,
geneticists, nurses, and social workers.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Human Services Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 22 Nay 0 (03/13/2025)